Karnataka govt hands over cracker shop fire case to CID

Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], October 8 (ANI): Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Sunday ordered the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) to investigate the fire accident that happened at a firecracker store in Attibele of Anekal town, which killed 14 people.

The Chief Minister said that there was negligence on the part of the shop owner who is now in police custody.

“We don’t know what exactly happened, however, we got to know that there was no safety measurement (in the shop). The license was renewed recently. No fire extinguisher was found in the shop. It is a total negligence of the Shop owner. so I am giving the investigation into the incident to CID,” Siddaramaiah told reporters after visiting the accident site.

He said that some bodies of the deceased have yet to be identified.

“Fourteen people have died (in the incident) and all are from Tamil Nadu, most of them are students. They are working here to earn money for their education,” CM Siddaramaiah said.

Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar also visited the accident site on Sunday and told the reporters that the incident was a grave one.

“We are going to come up with a plan of action we have to take within two to three days… We have already announced Rs 5 lakhs for those who died, and hospital expenditures will be taken care of,” Shivakumar said.

The fire broke out as the workers at the store were unloading firecrackers from a vehicle on Saturday, around 3.30 pm, police said.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah also condoled the loss of lives in the fire on social media platform X, posting, “I was deeply saddened to hear the news that 12 people died in the fire accident that broke out in a firecracker store near Anekal, Bangalore city district. I am going to visit the accident site tomorrow and inspect it. My condolences to the family of the deceased workers.”

According to the damage assessment done by the officials, seven two-wheelers, a container lorry, and three other vehicles were gutted in the fire.